19th August, 2022.
It’s Friday: you’d noticed, hadn’t you … ?
It‘s a Friday: and, as ever, I’m doing dinner.
Fish and chips, so you know.
Why we’re supposed to fish on a Friday? Is an old Catholic tradition, apparently.
One that was the reason behind the creation of the McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish.
One of these days? I’ll possibly do a Teaser about that.
At any rate … ?
It’s Friday.
And that means I’ll be watching the next episode of Star Trek Picard’s second series: episode nine, Hide and Seek.
I’m looking forward to it.
20th August, 2022.
Episode 9 — Hide and Seek — opens with a summary of earlier episodes.
Then shifts, showing us the cloudy sky over La Sirena: where Rios, Dr Ramirez* and her son, Ricardo (Santiago Cabrera, Sol Rodriguez and Steve Gutierrez) have to make an urgent escape.
Before they get caught by the Borg Queen in the body of Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill).
Back at Chateau Picard, and under that same apocalyptic sky? We see Admiral Picard, Seven, Raffi and Tallinn (Patrick Stewart, Jerry Ryan, Michelle Hurd and Orla Brady.) arrive by transporter.
Briefly discuss their options, Tallinn distributes the few weapons she has.
There group are met by Rios: who has bad news.
There’s a lot more Borg around than they thought.
Post titles?
We see the team taking cover: as the Admiral himself points out, the Queen means to pin them down, whilst she hijacks La Sirena.
The Queen (Annie Wersching), herself?
Is finding that occupying Dr Jurati’s body is not as easy as she thought: Agnes is getting to know her occupier, well.
Well enough to lock the Queen out of the ship’s systems.
And make an emergency combat hologram: using the image of the now dead Elnor (Evan Evagora).
Back at the chateau, itself?
One of the now Borg mercenaries throws a flash-bang, a stun grenade at the Admiral and his friends.
Which immediately triggers a flash back in for the Admiral: to a time in his childhood when the Picard family — he, his father, Maurice (James Callis) and his mother, Yvette (Madeline Wise) — are having breakfast … when the younger Jean–Luc (Dylan Von Halle) asks his mother to play a game with him.
And his mother … ? Suggests a game of hide and seek … knowing full well her husband is seriously concerned about her mental state.
Back in the now?
The team are split up: as Tallinn (Orla Brady) beams the injured Rios back to her apartment, along side Teresa and Ricardo. In a way that means Rios can’t help.
Seven can only see one option for the rest of the team.
Splitting up even further.
That way, there’s twice as many chances for someone to get back to La Sirena: and stopping the Queen at source.
The only thing stopping Admiral Picard?
Is the Queen’s one human collaborator.
Dr Adam Soong.
Dr Soong is determined to stop the Europa mission: as he knows it guarantees his place in history.
The one way the Doctor has of making sure of this?
Is killing Picard …
~≈🖖≈~
Now …
What did I make of this episode … ?
Was it — as I’ve asked of many earlier episodes — good, bad or indifferent?
Exactly how many stars would I give it on my famously four starred rating system?
It has to be said: I think Hide and Seek is yet another great episode.
The writing? Were wonderful to see.
As were the various bits of retconning needed: there’s a reference to the Admiral imagining his mother as an older woman that’s a clear reference to and old episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, called Where No One Has Gone Before.
The series so far has a great ensemble cast.
But Callis and Wise as Picard’s doomed parents? Were stand-outs: as were Cabrera and Rodriguez.
But it was the overall style that caught me.
We have, in this penultimate episode?
A good old-fashioned thriller.
And an absolutely perfectly done one!
~≈🖖≈~
With that said … ?
With all that said, does that mean I’m not going to be watching more TV?
Of course not!
I’ll be watching The Piggyback — the last episode of Stranger Things fourth series — on Tuesday, 23rd August: and posting my reviews of it on the 24th.
I’ll be watching Farewell — the last episode of Star Trek Picard’s second series — on Friday, 26th August: and posting my reviews of that on the 27th August.
Frankly?
I’d loved it if you joined me for either or both.
I’ll see you then.
Hide and Seek.★★★★
* Do you remember seeing Highlander, back in the day? The thing left an impression on me. Or, at least, Clancy Brown’s voice left an impression on me. I can never hear the name Ramirez, without mentally hearing him say it! ra MEER rez … !
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